WAH/Downton Abbey crossover. When Robert and Cora and the Bates' head out to South Africa, they quickly realise they aren't the only ones facing grief and pain. You don't need to watch DA to get it this, mainly WAH.

Dup glanced at the Lord and Lady of the English manor. The Countess had a coy look about her, almost as though she knew the world's greatest secret, her eyes showing a passion which most obviously wasn't at all English. The English never showed their devotion for their partner or any other course, well apart from Trevanion and seemingly the Lord of the Manor but they were the exceptions.

"Robert and I are most grateful for your help." The Lady spoke with a smile to both Danny and Alice who nodded. Dup signaled for Danny to come over to him. Danny smiled, excusing himself before wandering over, watching from afar with a shining devotion as Alice spoke to the couple.

Danny laughed, until suddenly Dup seemed to be dragged into the grown. A young dark, haired, soft faced girl tried to push him back up towards Danny but Dup was always just out of Danny's grasp, he couldn't bend... he couldn't reach. The girl was in a night gown and had an uncanny look of the Lady Alice was speaking too. Suddenly the ground opened and Dup was swallowed, both he and the girl disappearing.

(x)

"No!" Danny exclaimed, sitting up, dripping with sweat. He was breathing heavily as his wide eyes took in his surroundings.

Alice turned over in her sleep and frowned as he hand didn't find him. Her eyes popped open immediately and upon seeing his shadowed figure sat up, she too sat up, rubbing her eyes and checking her bedside clock.

"Danny?" She whispered, voice hoarse from sleep, her blue eyes clouded with tiredness. "What is it sweetheart?"

"Just a dream... a bad dream." Danny replied as he tried to calm his breathing. Alice sighed and softly wrapped her arms around him. He'd suffered a couple of times from these nightmares since Dup left but she'd never seen him look so distressed. "It was strange Alice."

"Why?" His wife enquired, stroking his face softly as she knelt up in front of him.

"Well, it was like before, Dup was swallowed up by the ground but this time it included Robert and Cora. He thought them to be quite posh but that's not the point. It was pleasant to hear what we know he would say... A young girl seemed to be trying to push him back to us..." He sighed as he noticed his wife's frown and calculating look, "I think she was the Grantham's daughter. She looked so like Lady Grantham but also like Lord Grantham too... she was beautiful. Far too young to be in the ground." Danny shook his head as tears began to form. "It was awful, they both got swallowed."

Alice swallowed before wrapping her arms even tighter around his neck, holding him close. "Maybe it's their way of telling us it'll all be ok?" Alice offered, "Come on, let's lie back down."

As they slid under the covers, Alice kept him close, her hands caressing his chest as he wrapped an arm around her. Neither closed their eyes, simply enjoyed each other's company before quietly talking - pillow talk.

(x)

"My God!" Robert gasped, sitting up before getting out of bed and walking to the window in the hope of not waking his wife with his current het up state. He was sweating cobs and that was without his laboured breathing. His dream had been so queer. Sybil had been telling him how wonderful the animals were when a bearded, fat man came with a beer in his hand and nodded to him, saying he'd take care of her. Robert shook his head, he didn't want to the remember the next bit. The trees seemed to animate and the branches grabbed them, the barks becoming mouths which swallowed them hole before becoming once more still.

"Robert?" Cora asked, her American accent more evident as she sat up with tiredness. "What is it my darling?"

"Just a dream... a queer dream." Robert responded returning to sit by the bed and telling his wife all about it.

"Oh my darling..." Cora said quietly taking his hands, "Come back to bed."

"I can't get him out of my head... the man. I have to know who he is." Robert stated as he complied with his wife's request, pulling her closer.

"Hmm... I'm sure it'll come to you my love." Cora responded, kissing his cheek gently, "Until it does, we'll just have to keep you occupied."

"How-?" Robert began in confusion, until one look from his wife told him exactly how...

A/N - A short one, but Robert has had a similar dream to Danny - will they talk of it and realise that it's one another's loss?

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